Sorry I'm so quiet; I'm a little confused as to where everyone is at the moment. Asenfel's still at the bar; he's absolutely not going to go illithid-hunting unless it attacks him directly, and he figures the group that went with Davan can probably handle any petty thievery.
Asenfel quietly sips his drink, keeping his eyes open for any strangeness in the bar while he waits for his companions to return.
Your group passes the afternoon somewhat uneventfully. Normally time spent relaxing in a tavern would bring joy to the adventurer's soul, but the events of the day have prevented that from happening.
An occasional look out the window reminds you of the explosion at the Great Hall earlier in the afternoon. The wisps of smoke continue to rise into the cloudless sky.
With a glance around the table, you realize that it is time to head back to the Enclave. You all rise at once.
Security around the Tharashk enclave has tripled since you left, and you are delayed somewhat at the front gate while a runner is dispatched to retrieve your sponsor.
A grizzled man approaches, walking with a crutch and much of his white hair burned off -- it would seem this man was caught in the blast and survived.
"Greetings, I am Nardon, please come with me."
He leads you to a squat building on the other side of the courtyard from the Great Hall.
Entering through the double doors, he waves you towards a large round table, covered with maps and documents, some partially to completely singed.
"Our House was dealt a serious blow today, and we still have no clues as to why or from whom. We lost 18 men in the blast. Most were young recruits from the mainland."
"Another blow to our House was the loss of Barrak. He was found in the ward south from here with a hole in his skull the size of a grapefruit, with his brain missing."
"Needless to say, we're at a loss of trying to fill in the pieces to this puzzle, but both of them have involved you to a certain extent, so I would suggest you watch your backs."
"I cannot even fathom who would have issues with a retrieval mission into the jungle, but it appears that there are folks who do not want this to happen."
He shakes his head.
"Anyway, we had expected to send a regiment of our hunters out with you, into the jungle, but most of them have been killed or greviously wounded, so we have to pare the force back down to the bone -- for we have lost many over the past month now."
"Ganyon will be joining you as a guide -- he has been on land down here for the better part of 10 years. He is a skilled tracker and survivalist, so he should have no problem taking you where you need to go. With him leading you, the Curse of the Traveler should not come into play.
"As you know, our house has lost several expeditions lately. All of them have been lost in the proximity of the Titan's Teeth -- which is a collection of giant ruins that stretch into the clouds."
"Our last dispatches from the teams have originated somewhere in that region."
"In the past, the giants have not bothered us, as we have not bothered them, but it appears that things have changed. What caused it, we are not aware of, or whether this is the act of a sole band of giants, or a larger alliance."
"Our scouts have noticed an increase in strange looking creatures -- not the normal denizens of Xen'drik, for we've run into all sorts of strange mutations of creatures, like lions in the desert with a camel-like hump on their back, to jungle pumas whose fur looks like patches of leaves."
"But these things look, well, otherwordly and unnatural... They have struck fear into the most hardened of scouts and warriors."
"It is week long journey towards the Titan's Teeth, give or take a day or two, depending upon the mercy of Xen'drik."
"Once there, we are most concerned with the recovery of bodies of the expedition leaders -- their value to the house is irreplaceable, and we have contracted with Jorasco to bring them back to from the great hunt."
"Do not worry about the transportation of the bodies back, for our house team will take care of that."
"We will be sending along a homing beacon with your group, so that we will know where your group is at all times."
"Extreme caution is to be employed, as you know, giants are formidable foes, when angered."
"They are ready to depart in the morning, and we have arranged lodging for your group at the Chapterhouse, which you are already acquainted with.
Lo-Kag shakes his head ponderously. "I came for a chance to fight giants, I'd be disappointed if they didn't try something." The immense rocky warrior fingers the spear that hangs at his back with a grin. "Let 'em try something, we'll show 'em what a real fight is."
__________________ "Paranoia is a lot like life insurance. Annoying, expensive, and rarely needed. And like life insurance, if you need it and you don't have it, it's too late already."
"This makes no sense at all. Your DM needs to be shot. With a hammer."
-quote from the Wizards web board
Morph stands still taking all of the information in. Dire things are at work against us. We must be able to work together to complete the task before us. When Nardon mentions the grisly murder of Barrak, Morph rubs the side of his head, thinking of formiddable form to prevent such an injury. Finally he speaks, "I am ready to start our journey."
Dreadnought speaks thoughtfully, "Mutated creatures doesn't sound like giants to me. Perhaps they are the work of these 'mind flayers' that we heard about yesterday? If so, there may be some alliance between them and the giants. What do we know of them?"
"Abberations," Darv says quietly. "In every possible sense of the word. Creatures of Xoriat, the realm of madness, they have an affinity for sentient minds. Both the controlling and the...consmption of them. Horrid things, by all accounts, and unfamiliar with such concepts as kindness or mercy. From what little I know, it seems unlikely that they would work *with* the giants. But dominate them, and dictate their actions? Perhaps."
"Another blow to our House was the loss of Barrak. He was found in the ward south from here with a hole in his skull the size of a grapefruit, with his brain missing."
Void is troubled when he hears that but say nothing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darv
From what little I know, it seems unlikely that they would work *with* the giants. But dominate them, and dictate their actions?
Mind flayers can play with anyone mind, lesser giants are to weak minded to fight against such creatures.
__________________
Spoiler:
Zirat Igruf, Gladiator (Rhun's ToEE): OOC ; IC ; RG
Davan flinches when he hears of the consumption of minds, "Did not that man say that a man's brain was consumed? I pray that either he is mistaken or you did not literally mean that they consume brains."
"So it is said," Darv admits, gingerly rubbing his own forehead as he contemplates the thought of something...burrowing through it. "It's not something that I chose to dwell upon overmuch, in truth. I value my own brain rather highly."
Last edited by Rolzup; 7th February 2008 at 12:36 AM..
"I believe we all value what lies inside our heads." The warforged looks to Darv, "If mind-flayers have the mental powers to dominate giants, they can just as easily control those that we consider allies. It is still a good idea to watch out for each other, we should not be going somewhere alone, where unseen enemies wait in the shadows to compel us to actions we would not otherwise do."
You know quite a bit about Mind Flayers from your research:
They are aberrations that live on the plane of Xoriat, the realm of madness. They are thought to serve the daelkyr, but also pursue their own schemes and agendas.
They possess 4 large tentacles, which frame their oral opening, when all four are attached to a humanoids skull, they can easily suck out the victims brain, instantly killing it. Warforged are supposed to be immune to such attacks, as they do not have a traditional 'brain', as far as humanoids go.
They employ mind control techniques, and can stun creatures with a mere thought. One must be wary whenever a mind flayer is encountered, for they can travel between planes, or even send unwilling creatures to other planes, in an instant.
They are resistant to any weapon that is not made of Byshek.
Nardon appears confused at the mention of 'mind flayers'. "As much as I would hope that you are playing a cruel joke with your discussion of this mind-flayer creature, I cannot think of any creature, known to me, that would cause such a horrid wound."
"Seeing as how the city has become unsafe for our house members, I see no reason to postpone your expedition to the morrow, if you wish to leave tonight."
"Of course, if you want to leave in the morning, that is perfectly acceptable as well."
"Well, ah sleep with th' best of 'em, but I've not qualms about startin' out tonight," rumbles Lo-Kag. "The sooner we're off, the sooner I can lay blade to them giants, and I don't mind sayin' I've got a fair grudge against them."
__________________ "Paranoia is a lot like life insurance. Annoying, expensive, and rarely needed. And like life insurance, if you need it and you don't have it, it's too late already."
"This makes no sense at all. Your DM needs to be shot. With a hammer."
-quote from the Wizards web board
"I think it might be best if we leave the city now, before anything else happens. At the least, once we're out in the wilds no innocents can get caught up in attacks aimed at us." Asenfel adds.
"Excellent,"says Nardon,"I will send for Ganyon and have him ready his gear."
"May the land shield you and protect you."
He walks out of the room.
Nardon comes back 5 minutes later with a youthful looking man, barely past his teens in tow -- dressed in a loose fitting chain shirt below a mottled green cloak. A shortsword and kukri swing from his belt.
"This is Ganyon, he is a native of Xen'drik and knows the jungles like the backs of his hands. He will guide you true."
The young man nods,"I hear ya wanna head uut tonight - which is fin' wit me, cuz I sleep better in the jungle - we should be able tuh git in a few hurs 'fore we should bog down fer the night. Shouldn't run inta anythin' too mean until at least tumarra afternoon."
"If'n yer ready, lets git a move on."
Nardon and Ganyon walk towards the door.
Darv and Morph
As you get up from the table, you notice a strange disturbance in the air behind the goliath. Taking a second look, you do not see anything, but know that something small, and circular appears to be trailing behind him -- possibly something invisible, but yet not physical in nature -- almost as if it could be some magically produced effect?
Darv
You recognize the object to be the sensor from a Greater Scrying spell.
Morph
Your training in spellcraft does not tell you anything about the magical effect.
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